The City of Light shone even brighter this Wednesday, kicking off the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games with a bold and moving ceremony in the heart of the city. The event, held in the iconic Place de la Concorde and the Champs-Élysées, launched a global call for ainclusion revolution” and a journey of “discord to concord".

The Games mark the 17th edition of the event and are being held from August 28 to September 8. Sixty-five thousand people attended the opening ceremony of the Paris 65.000 Paralympic Games, and no fewer than 2024 athletes, representing a total of 4.400 delegations, were present.

Of the delegations present, 44 African nations were represented, bringing 314 athletes to the French capital, including some who are true references in their sports and have real medal chances.

African athletes will compete in the sports for which they have qualified. 5 Football (football for the visually impaired), Athletics, Cycling, Weightlifting, Judo, Canoeing, Taekwondo, Table tennis, Wheelchair Tennis, Swimming, Sitting Volleyball, Goalball, Triathlon e Remo .

The Paris 2024 Paralympic Games will be an opportunity for the general public to discover some of these sports and, of course, for African athletes to win as many medals as possible.

Inclusive Opening Ceremony

More than 200 years after the site witnessed the French Revolution, the colors of the republic once again illuminated the historic square, in flags, clothing, curtains, and even in clouds of smoke in the sky.

Designed by Thomas Jolly, the artistic director of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games Opening Ceremony, the event called for action from society while also celebrating sport and the achievements of Paralympic athletes.

In a moment of great symbolism, the Paralympic flame, lit in Stoke Mandeville, England, the birthplace of the Paralympic Games, traveled along the Champs-Élysées in the hands of medal-winning athletes, culminating in the Olympic cauldron in the Tuileries Garden. This "beacon of hope” will remain lit until September 8, when Paris will hand over the baton to Los Angeles.

The Ceremony Messages

“Welcome to the land of love and the land of revolution.”

“Don't worry: tonight there will be no storming of the Bastille, nor will the guillotine operate, because tonight is the beginning of the most beautiful of all revolutions: the Paralympic revolution.”

“Tonight, the revolutionaries are you, the athletes.”

“Like our ancestors, you have courage and audacity.”

“Like all revolutionaries around the world, you have courage and determination, like them, you are fighting for a cause that is bigger than all of us.”

Estanguet said to the applause of some improvised and completely packed stands, in one of the most historic places in France.

The president of the International Paralympic Committee, Andrew Parsons, used the historic stage of the French Revolution to call for a “inclusion revolutionThis appeal gained even more strength with the reminder that 15% of the world's population lives with some type of disability.

The main message was to point to a society in which people with disabilities are celebrated in the field of sport, but in their daily lives, they face several obstacles.

African Medals Expected

Raoua Tlili, at 34 years old, completing her fifth Paralympics and with four Gold medals under her belt, shone again, winning the first medal for Africa in these games and her fifth Gold medal, in the women's shot put in the F41 class.

Maroua Ibrahmi secured Tunisia's other Gold medal in the F32 mace throw, while Ahmed Ben Moslah won Silver in the men's shot put in the F37 class.

Algeria also made history with Nassima Saifi winning a Gold medal in the women's discus throw in the F57 class.

Ethiopia added another Gold medal to the continent with Tigist Gezahagn Menigstu who triumphed in the women's 1500 meters in the T13 class.

Morocco won one silver medal and two bronze medals: Fatima Ezzahra El Idrissi stood out in the women's 1500 meters in the T13 class with a silver medal, while Aymane El Haddaoui secured bronze in the men's 100 meters in the T47 class and Ayoub Adouich reached the podium in Taekwondo, in the men's K44 -63kg category.

And the Expectations

Expectations are high. South African Ntando Mahlangu, crowned Paralympic champion in 2021 in Tokyo, achieved success in the long jump competition, breaking the world record with a leap of 7,17 m. It is with this title status that he arrives in Paris and is therefore one of the great medal hopes.

Samir Nouioua, Algerian veteran and gold medalist in Beijing and London in the 800m, hopes to finish in style what could be his last Paralympic Games.

Another veteran, Nigerian Flora Ugwunma, will attempt to live up to her status. At 40, the two-time Paralympic javelin champion will be competing in her favorite event, as well as in the shot put.

Her compatriot Folashade Oluwafemiayo (39), current Olympic champion in Paralympic weightlifting (women, over 86 kg), will also try to preserve her title of triple Paralympic champion.

With a resounding double at Rio 2016 in the 1.500 m and 5.000 m, Kenyan Samwel Mushai Kimani will also try to repeat the same feat at these games.

These are some examples, among others, that symbolize the potential of the African continent, despite the limited resources that these athletes often have available throughout the season.

With our eyes set on the 63 medals won by the African continent in Tokyo, why not try to reach the 100 medal mark again, already achieved in previous editions, and even surpass it?

What about the PALOP?

Angola made waves with sprinter José Sayovo, who won 3 Gold medals in the 100, 200 and 400 meters in 2004, 3 Silver in 2008 and, in 2012, a Bronze in the 200 m and another Gold in the 400, since then it has remained away from medals, hoping, however, to reverse this desert crossing, in these games.

Cape Verde also won a Bronze medal in 2016, Guinea-Bissau and Mozambique have never won a medal, but they hope these games will be different and they will take home medals.

However, it is becoming increasingly difficult for a Paralympic athlete from the PALOP countries to win a medal, or even maintain their participation in future Paralympic Games, due to the disinvestment in Paralympic sport that has occurred in these countries.

The African Delegations

• Egypt: 54 athletes
• Morocco: 38 athletes
• South Africa: 32 athletes
• Tunisia: 30 athletes
• Algeria: 26 athletes
• Nigeria: 23 athletes
• Rwanda: 13 athletes
• Kenya: 13 athletes
• Mauritius: 6 athletes
• Namibia: 5 athletes
• Cameroon: 5 athletes
• Uganda: 4 athletes
• Senegal: 4 athletes
• Ethiopia: 4 athletes
• Ghana: 4 athletes
• Libya: 3 athletes
• Ivory Coast: 3 athletes
• Angola, Botswana, Benin, Burundi, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Congo, Gabon, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Malawi, DR Congo, Zambia, Zimbabwe: 2 athletes each
• Burkina Faso, Eritrea, Niger, Mozambique, Tanzania, Togo: 1 athlete each.

Conclusion

During these days, the eyes of the world will be on the French capital, where African athletes, in particular, will seek not only to reach the podium, but also to inspire millions of people, showing that determination can transcend any barrier.

The participation of African delegations, despite limited resources, highlights the indomitable spirit of their athletes. Each victory and medal will be symbols of resilience and pride, reminding us that sport can be a transformative force.

For talents like José Sayovo, Raoua Tlili, and Ntando Mahlangu to continue to emerge, it is vital that African countries, especially the PALOP countries, invest in Paralympic sport, thus ensuring a future of achievements.

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